LOUISVILLE, Ky. — On the ninth anniversary of her disappearance, there is an update in the Crystal Rogers case.
Trial will move forward for one of the three men charged in the disappearance of Crystal Rogers. Defendant Steve Lawson filed a motion for his charges to be dismissed, claiming he was promised immunity when he talked to police. But a judge has ruled his statements and information were inconsistent and he did not meet the prosecutor’s requirements for the immunity agreement.
The judge wrote in the order, “it is apparent that Lawson was fully aware of the truthfulness requirement.” He goes on to “this court finds without a reasonable doubt that Lawson breached his immunity agreement with his untruthfulness about matters that are clearly material to the commonwealth’s investigation and prosecution.”
Steven Lawson attorney, Ted Lavit, argued Lawson was promised immunity for his cooperation with police.
During a June court hearing, Special Prosecutor Shane Young confirmed the immunity agreement was made verbally with Lawson, not in writing. But he said the deal was only available if Lawson was 100% truthful and there were no omissions to his story.
Young told the judge Lawson failed to meet these conditions.
CASE BACKGROUND
July 3 marks nine years since Crystal Rogers was first reported missing. For the first time, after eight other grim anniversaries, her family has some idea what happened to the missing mother of five.
Many questions that have gone unanswered for almost a decade are now coming into clarity… including how her car landed on the Bluegrass Parkway days after she was reported missing, with her belongings left behind.
"It was driven out there by Joey. Joey Lawson. He had a flat tire at that mile marker and my client received a phone call, went out and got him, brought him back,” Attorney Ted Lavit said.
Prosecutors allege Brooks Houck killed his girlfriend and then hired help to cover it up. Steve Lawson and Joseph Lawson, two former employees of Houck, told police Houck wanted to "get rid of her", according to court documents.
“God is finally answering some of my prayers. It’s his time, not mine and I'm very happy with that”, Sherry Ballard, Crystal’s mother, told WHAS11 in November of 2023.
For the family, the answers are a long time coming. But they are still waiting for justice and more information on how it will all play out.
The parties had agreed to move the trial to Christian County but have since learned it didn't meet all of the judge's courtroom criteria.
Now, finding a new trial location is one of the many motions underway in the case of Crystal Rogers.
Brooks Houck is expected in court on Monday, July 8 at 9 a.m. The judge will hear the prosecution's motion to consolidate the three trials, and Houck's objection.
Joseph Lawson is expected back in court on July 18 for a status conference.
Steve Lawson has a court date set for August 8, where he is expected to clarify for the judge if he wants to use or exclude interviews between himself and police.
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